The article I found that sparked this post is titled Donors want Pakistan to tax rich to pay for flood. As I absorbed the data, a pair of conundrums waltzed around my mind.
The critical points the United States must keep in mind when dealing with Pakistan can be counted on three fingers.
- Pakistan is a Taliban stronghold. Many other terrorist organizations also operate from within it's borders.
- Pakistan has nuclear weapons.
- Pakistan's geographical location, smack in the middle of India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China.
The international community, including the U.S., is warning Pakistan that it will only be able to cover 25% of the total cost to re-build the destroyed areas. This threat rings hollow, however, given the incompetency of Pakistan's own government. It did little to help rescue and feed it's people during the worst of the flooding, and can be expected to do even less in the disaster's aftermath. If we don't fix it, no one will.
As much as we may resent the fact that Pakistan's rich aren't taxed (sound familiar?), and that the government will probably misappropriate a portion of the funds they receive, I think that it is imperative we remember it is people already living in the poorest of conditions that need help. A roof and some water, and they will be grateful. When that is all that folks are asking for, it is hard for my heart to resist wanting to help.
But, I do wonder how many of the people we help in Pakistan today, will join a jihad against my country tomorrow. If we only offer enough humanitarian aid to allow people to survive, and offer no follow-up interactions, I fear our charity may backfire. Instead of being remembered as the angels who saved them, we will be recalled as the idiots who helped the enemy. That is one of the conundrums running through my mind.
The other seems to arise to dose-do in my brain following any disaster, in any country besides our own. Why is it always our tax dollars being tossed around the world like confetti? Of the billions being donated, I am sure a vast majority is coming from our coffers (which are already empty). At some point, it will be the once grand capitalistic power's that need to be rescued, and the Pakistan's of the world, with their 2% tax rate, will not be able or willing to help.
___
9/22
Ahmadinejad blames capitalism for poverty
At the U.N.'s summit on poverty, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi explained how the recent devastating floods, combined with constant skirmishing with the Taliban, has set the country back decades on it's road to ending the suffering of it's impoverished people.
"The MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) remain 'the centerpiece' of Pakistan's development program, he said, but the rehabilitation of flood-ravaged areas will cost billions and will impact economic recovery and achievement of the U.N. goals."
Sadly, Pakistan is an excellent example of what happens when a government cannot adequately ensure the safety of it's people. Whether it's due to poorly designed infrastructure to reach remote areas, or the general mismanagement of funds that led to a lack of erosion protection, Pakistan is not ready to deal with the issues it is currently facing.
___
10/22
Pakistani Troops Linked to Abuses Will Lose Aid (NYT, Eric Schmitt, 10/21/2010)
It is not a secret that the Pakistani army is guilty of committing human rights violations. But when an internet video showing the execution of six civilians by men in Pakistani military garb surfaced recently, the U.S. finally started paying attention. According to the article linked above, some aid to some members of the Pakistani military will be halted as a result.
Even this minimal application of the Leahy Amendment is not without criticism, given our supposed allies proximity to the war we are currently waging in Afghanistan. I am glad we are trying to give this important law some "teeth," as Mr. Leahy himself stated. Our refusal to provide some equipment and training has already resulted in an important general in Pakistan taking up the issue of vigilante-style justice. I am well aware the fight is much more ideological then physical, given the cultural differences between modern laws and the lack of any form of court system in the tribal areas. And, given Pakistan's mountainous landscape, interspersed by inhospitable deserts, I am sure enclaves of extremists will always find a place to exist. But, getting the military to start respecting civilian life is at least a step in the right direction.
At the same time, billion dollar investment in getting the Pakistani military well equipped is a scary prospect. If our efforts to change their "hearts and minds" fails, our generosity may backfire on a deadly scale.
___
12/30
NYT: Reports of 'disappeared' Pakistanis worry U.S. (MSNBC, by Eric Schmitt, 12/30/2010)
Are some members of the Pakistani military using the war on terror as an excuse to round up, imprison, torture, and kill political dissidents along with suspected terrorists? The answer is unfortunately yes, and several human rights organizations are striving to stop the mass-kidnappings. The problem stems from many issues, including the historic desire of some Pakistanis to secede from the nation to form a new country. I also believe we are partly to blame. I don't think that Pakistan is equipped to perform the tasks the U.S. and it's allies are requesting. All it takes is one order from a top Pakistani official to authorize the kind of "disappearances" now being reported. I fear that Baluchistan may one day be synonymous with mass-murder. I hope U.S. efforts to stop the killings, as well as the recent upsurge in the Pakistani public rallying against the atrocities pays off, and the kidnappings and killings end soon.
___
1/7
Assassin or hero? Pakistan's great divide over killer of governor (CNN, by Ravi Agrawal, 1/6/2011)
Pakistan's extremist problem is far crazier than I had even imagined. The above linked article describes how the bodyguard of a controversial, moderate government official assassinated him instead of protecting him in the name of Allah. Instead of condemning his actions, the populace is worshiping the murderer as a hero. The family of the slain politician couldn't even find a religious official to perform the man's last rights. By the time I was done reading the story, I was convinced that Pakistan's people and laws are totally immersed in religious extremism.
___
4/16
Pakistan's transgender tribe of tax collectors (CNN, by Nick Paton Walsh, 4/14/2011)
I don't know how I feel about this:
Pakistan is having a very hard time collecting taxes from its citizens. Less than 1% of people pay income tax there. So the government is taking a unique approach to try to increase revenue: send in the transgenders. Because Pakistan has so many conservative Muslim citizens, the tactic might work. In the story, the threat to show up with six drag queen dancers at someones place of business is equivalent to letters from the IRS here.
But I wonder if these women/men are really doing anything to help their overall cause. If they want to be taken seriously in society, shouldn't they also want to be more than a threat? It would be like the IRS threatening to send black men into a cafe BEFORE the Civil Rights movement to get them to pay taxes. Interesting topic for debate, imho...
___
7/1
One of the main issues facing our nation today is how to handle refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Pakistan is no different. It turns out that Pakistan hosts the most refugees of any country in the world.* This is especially depressing given Pakistan's inability to deal with the well being of their own citizens, let alone refugees from places like Afghanistan and Iraq. I wonder how many Pakistanis connect the dots, and blame us for the number of displaced people in their country.
*Time Magazine, July 4, 2011 Refugees: A Burden For Poor Nations
No comments:
Post a Comment